I bought a PalmPilot in early 1997. Shortly after that, I started the KHftCEA- Kirk's Home for the Chronically Easily Amused. I have trouble succinctly describing what the KHftCEA is. "Quote Journal" is the closest thing I've come up with. If I read or hear something sufficiently amusing or interesting, into the KHftCEA it goes. "Commonplace Book" used to be the name for that kind of collection, though the name isn't as commonplace as it used to be. It's also a place for my thoughts and observations, as well as the occasional prose or poetry snippet.

It's the technology of the Pilot that lets this all happen. Like the Macintosh before it, the Palm organizer has its legions of evangelists who think its the coolest thing since the transistor, and will explain this view to you and great length. Unlike some of its competitors, it easily fits in a pocket, it has an intuitive interface, and its easy on the batteries. My PalmPilot is with me all the time, and it's what let me keep up a journal for 2 1/2 years, when all my previous attempts at journal-keeping were lucky to last 2 1/2 months.

It's that date of early 1997 that hit me. The other day I was looking over an archive I assembled of correspondence between a semi-requited love and myself. This was an important archive to me, but the last time I assembled it was right around when I got my PalmPilot. On the one hand, this might be coincidence. That particular romance came and went in cycles, and maybe it was just a quirk of time. On the other hand, those letters were full of the found quotes and creative expressions that later made up KHftCEA. I've already written how unrequited love seems to be more of a spur to writing than the kind of love you'd want to build a life on, but is it that unlikely that the PalmPilot was an outlet that let me move on after 4 1/2 years of pining?

So anyway, the PalmPilot is great. It's an extension of my head. Not only is it with me all the time, but I rest assured that all my precious data is safely stored (and editable) on my PC. Not only that, but that data will always be in my front pocket even when I upgrade the physical unit. (This Ramble was written on a Pilot in fact- a feat made easier by the GoType keyboard Mo bought me some time back, that makes it into a little laptop. (The "graffiti" system for entering text with the little stylus is pretty good, but frustrating when used for extended entries.))

So keep a journal, and whether your loving or pining, try to focus that feeling and use it as your muse.